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DHRUVA MAHARAJ.

THE FOUR KUMARA SAGES ARE HEADED BY SANAKA. THE FOUR KUMARAS AND NARADA, HAMSA, ARUNI AND YATI ARE URDHVA-RETA OR NAISHTIKA-BRAHMACHARIS WHICH MEANS UNADULTERATED CELIBATES.

THE FOUR KUMARA SAGES ARE SANAKA, SANANDANA, SANAT KUMARA AND SANATANA ARE ALL BRAHMA'S SONS.

SVAYAMBHUVA MANU IS THE DIRECT SON OF BRAHMA, WHO WAS BORN AS THE PLANERY EXPANSION OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD. ALTHOUGH BRAHMA IS THE JIVATATTVA, HE IS EMPOWERED BY THE LORD AND IS A POWERFUL EXPANSION OF THE SUPREME LORD. THERFORE HE IS CONSIDERED AS THE PLANERY EXPANSION OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD. SOME TIMES IT HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS NO SUITABLE LIVING BEING TO BE EMPOWERED TO ACT AS BRAHMA, THE SUPREME LORD HIMSELF APPEARS AS BRAHMA. THE DESCENDENTS OF MANU ARE WIDELY CELEBRATED FOR THEIR PIOUS ACTIVITIES. DHRUVA MAHARAJ IS THE MOST PIOUS KING WITHIN THE UNIVERSE. SVAYAMBHUVA MANU AND HIS WIFE SHATARUPA HAD TWO SONS BY THE NAME UTTANAPADA AND PRIYAVRATA.THEY WERE EMPOWERED BY THE LORD TO RULE THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE. KING UTTANAPADA HAD TWO SONS BY THE NAME UTTAMA AND DHRUVA RESPECTIVELY. THE INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF DHRUVA MAHARAJ ARE VERY ATTRACTIVE FOR THE DEVOTEES. FROM HIS PIOUS ACTIVITIES ONE MUST LEARN HOW TO DETACH ONESELF FROM THE MATERIAL POSSESIONS. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE SHOULD LEARN FROM HERE IS HOW ONE CAN ENHACE ONE'S DEVOTIONAL SERVICE BY SEVERE AUSTERITIES AND PENANCES. BY HEARING THE ACTIVITIES OF POUS DHRUVA, ONE CAN ENHACE ONE'S FAITH IN GOD AND CAN DIRECTLY CONNECT WITH THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD. THUS ONE CAN VERY SOON BE ELEVATED TO THE TRANCEDENTAL PLATFORM OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE. THE EXAMPLES OF DHRUVA MAHARAJA'S AUSTERITIES CAN IMMEDIATELY GENERATE A FEELING OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE IN THE HEARTS OF THE HEARERS.

My Lord, the transcendental bliss derived from meditating upon Your lotus feet or hearing about Your glories from pure devotees is sounlimited that it is far beyond the stage of brahmānanda, wherein one thinkshimself merged in the impersonal Brahmanas one with the Supreme. Since brahmānandais also defeated by the transcendental bliss derived from devotional service,then what to speak of the temporary blissfulness of elevating oneself to theheavenly planets, which is ended by the separating sword of time? Although onemay be elevated to the heavenly planets, he falls down in due course of time.

PURPORT

The transcendental bliss derived from devotional service, primarily from śravaṇaḿkīrtanam, hearing and chanting,cannot be compared to the happiness derived by karmīs by elevating themselvesto the heavenly planets or by jñānīs or yogīs, who enjoy oneness with thesupreme impersonal Brahman. Yogīsgenerally meditate upon the transcendental form of Viṣṇu, but devotees not only meditateupon Him but actually engage in the direct service of the Lord. In the previousverse we find the phrase bhavāpyaya, which refers to birth and death. The Lordcan give relief from the chain of birth and death. It is a misunderstanding tothink, as do the monists, that when one gets relief from the process of birthand death he merges into the Supreme Brahman.Here it is clearly said that the transcendental bliss derived from śravaṇaḿkīrtanam by pure devotees cannot becompared to brahmānanda, or theimpersonal conception of transcendental bliss derived by merging into theAbsolute.

The position of karmīs is still more degraded. Their aim is to elevate themselves to the higher planetary systems. It is said, yāntideva-vratādevān: persons who worship thedemigods are elevated to the heavenly planets (Bg. 9.25).But elsewhere in Bhagavad-gītā (9.21)we find, kṣīṇepuṇyemartya-lokaḿviśanti: those who are elevated to thehigher planetary systems must come down again as soon as the results of theirpious activities are exhausted. They are like the modern astronauts who go tothe moon; as soon as their fuel is used up, they are obliged to come back downto this earth. As the modern astronauts who go to the moon or other heavenlyplanets by force of jet propulsion have to come down again after exhaustingtheir fuel, so also do those who are elevated to the heavenly planets by forceof yajñas and pious activities. Antakāsi-lulitāt:by the sword of time one is cut from his exalted position within this materialworld, and he comes down again. DhruvaMahārāja appreciated that theresults of devotional service are far more valuable than merging into theAbsolute or being elevated to the heavenly planets. The words patatāḿvimānāt are very significant. Vimāna means "airplane."Those who are elevated to the heavenly planets are like airplanes, which dropwhen they run out of fuel.

DhruvaMahārāja continued: O unlimited Lord, kindly bless me so that I may associate with great devotees who engage in Yourtranscendental loving service constantly, as the waves of a river constantlyflow. Such transcendental devotees are completely situated in an uncontaminatedstate of life. By the process of devotional service I shall surely be able tocross the nescient ocean of material existence, which is filled with the waves ofblazing, firelike dangers. It will be very easy for me, for I am becoming madto hear about Your transcendental qualities and pastimes, which are eternallyexistent.

PURPORT

The significant point in DhruvaMahārāja's statement is that he wanted theassociation of pure devotees. Transcendental devotional service cannot becomplete and cannot be relishable without the association of devotees. We havetherefore established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.Anyone who is trying to be aloof from this Krishna Consciousness Society andyet engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness isliving in a great hallucination, for this is not possible. From this statementby DhruvaMahārāja it is clear that unless one isassociated with devotees, his devotional service does not mature; it does notbecome distinct from material activities. The Lord says, satāḿ prasańgān mamavīrya-saḿvidobhavantihṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ(Bhāg. 3.25.25). Only in theassociation of pure devotees can the words of Lord Kṛṣṇa be fully potent and relishable tothe heart and ear. DhruvaMahārāja explicitly wanted the associationof devotees. That association in devotional activities is just like the wavesof an incessantly flowing river. In our Krishna Consciousness Society we havefull engagement twenty-four hours a day. Every moment of our time is alwaysbusily engaged in the service of the Lord. This is called the incessant flow ofdevotional service.

A Māyāvādī philosopher may question us, "You may be very happy in the association of devotees, but what is yourplan for crossing the ocean of material existence?" DhruvaMahārāja's answer is that it is not verydifficult. He clearly says that this ocean can be crossed very easily if onesimply becomes mad to hear the glories of the Lord. Bhavad-guṇa-kathā:for anyone who persistently engages in hearing the topics of the Lord from Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Caitanya-caritāmṛta and who is actually addictedto this process, just as one becomes addicted to intoxicants, it is very easyto cross the nescience of material existence. The ocean of material nescienceis compared to a blazing fire, but to a devotee this blazing fire isinsignificant because he is completely absorbed in devotional service. Althoughthe material world is blazing fire, to a devotee it appears full of pleasure (viśvaḿpūrṇa-sukhāyate).

The purport of this statement by DhruvaMahārāja is that devotional service in theassociation of devotees is the cause of the development of further devotionalservice. By devotional service only is one elevated to the transcendentalplanet GolokaVṛndāvana, and there also there is onlydevotional service, for the activities of devotional service both in this worldand in the spiritual world are one and the same. Devotional service does notchange. The example of a mango can be given here. If one gets an unripe mango,it is still a mango, and when it is ripe it remains the same mango, but it hasbecome more tasteful and relishable. Similarly, there is devotional serviceperformed according to the direction of the spiritual master and theinjunctions and regulative principles of śāstra,and there is devotional service in the spiritual world, rendered directly inassociation with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But they are both thesame. There is no change. The difference is that one stage is unripe and theother is ripe and more relishable. It is possible to mature in devotionalservice only in the association of devotees.

Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the ancestors goto the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth amongsuch beings; and those who worship Me will live with Me.

PURPORT

If one has any desire to go to the moon, the sun or any other planet, one can attain the desireddestination by following specific Vedic principles recommended for thatpurpose, such as the process technically known as darśa-paurṇamāsī. These are vividly describedin the fruitive activities portion of the Vedas, which recommends a specificworship of demigods situated on different heavenly planets. Similarly, one canattain the Pitā planets by performinga specific yajña. Similarly, one cango to many ghostly planets and become a Yakṣa,Rakṣa or Piśāca. Piśāca worship is called "blackarts" or "black magic." There are many men who practice thisblack art, and they think that it is spiritualism, but such activities arecompletely materialistic. Similarly, a pure devotee, who worships the SupremePersonality of Godhead only, achieves the planets of Vaikuṇṭha and Kṛṣṇaloka without adoubt. It is very easy to understand through this important verse that if bysimply worshiping the demigods one can achieve the heavenly planets, or byworshiping the Pitās achieve the Pitāplanets, or by practicing the black arts achieve the ghostly planets, why canthe pure devotee not achieve the planet of Kṛṣṇaor Viṣṇu? Unfortunately many people have noinformation of these sublime planets where Kṛṣṇaand Viṣṇu live, and because they do not knowof them they fall down. Even the impersonalists fall down from the brahmajyoti.The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement istherefore distributing sublime information to the entire human society to theeffect that by simply chanting the HareKṛṣṇamantra one can become perfect in this lifeand go back home, back to Godhead.

When they have thus enjoyed vast heavenly sense pleasure and the results of their pious activities areexhausted, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus those who seek senseenjoyment by adhering to the principles of the three Vedas achieve onlyrepeated birth and death.

PURPORT

One who is promoted to the higher planetary systems enjoys a longer duration of life and betterfacilities for sense enjoyment, yet one is not allowed to stay there forever.One is again sent back to this earth upon finishing the resultant fruits ofpious activities. He who has not attained perfection of knowledge, as indicatedin the Vedānta-sūtra (janmādy asyayataḥ),or, in other words, he who fails to understand Kṛṣṇa, the cause of all causes, becomesbaffled about achieving the ultimate goal of life and is thus subjected to theroutine of being promoted to the higher planets and then again coming down, asif situated on a Ferris wheel which sometimes goes up and sometimes comes down.The purport is that instead of being elevated to the spiritual world, fromwhich there is no longer any possibility of coming down, one simply revolves inthe cycle of birth and death on higher and lower planetary systems. One shouldbetter take to the spiritual world to enjoy an eternal life full of bliss andknowledge and never return to this miserable material existence.

In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the SupremePersonality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and theheart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the pathof liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed.Then real devotion and devotional service begin.

PURPORT

The process of advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional serviceis described here. The first point is that one must seek the association ofpersons who are Kṛṣṇa conscious and whoengage in devotional service. Without such association one cannot makeadvancement. Simply by theoretical knowledge or study one cannot make anyappreciable advancement. One must give up the association of materialisticpersons and seek the association of devotees because without the association ofdevotees one cannot understand the activities of the Lord. Generally, peopleare convinced of the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth. Because they donot associate with devotees, they cannot understand that the Absolute Truth canbe a person and have personal activities. This is a very difficult subjectmatter, and unless one has personal understanding of the Absolute Truth, thereis no meaning to devotion. Service or devotion cannot be offered to anythingimpersonal. Service must be offered to a person. Nondevotees cannot appreciate Kṛṣṇa consciousness by reading the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or any other Vedic literaturewherein the activities of the Lord are described; they think that theseactivities are fictional, manufactured stories because spiritual life is notexplained to them in the proper mood. To understand the personal activities ofthe Lord, one has to seek the association of devotees, and by such association,when one contemplates and tries to understand the transcendental activities ofthe Lord, the path to liberation is open, and he is freed. One who has firmfaith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes fixed, and his attractionfor association with the Lord and the devotees increases. Association withdevotees means association with the Lord. The devotee who makes thisassociation develops the consciousness for rendering service to the Lord, andthen, being situated in the transcendental position of devotional service, hegradually becomes perfect.

ANYONE WHO HEARS ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES OF DHRUVA MAHARJA CAN FULFILL ALL DESIRES FOR WEALTH, FAME AND INCREASED DURATION OF LIFE. THIS NARRATION IS SO AUSPECIOUS THAT SIMPLY BY HAERING ON CAN GO TO DHRUVA LOKA AFTER HAVING COUBTERACTED ALL THE RESULTS OF HIS PAST SINFUL ACTIVITIES. ANY ONE WHO HEARS THIS NARRATION ABD TRIES WITH FAITH AND DEVOTION TO UNDERSTAND DHRUVA'S PURE CHARACTER ATTAINS TO HIS PURE SERVICE.

INSTEAD ANYONE WHO HEARS THIS NARRATION ATTAINS EXALTED QUALITIES JUST LKE THOSE POSSESED BY DHRUVA MAHARAJA.

THEREFORE ONE SHOULD CHANT ABOUT THE CHARACTER AND ACTIVITIES OF DHRUVA MAHARAJ EVERY MORNNG AND EVENING WITH GREAT CARE AND ATTENTION IN THE ASSOCIATION OF PURE DEVOTEES.

EVEN CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU HAS READ ABOUT DHRUVA MAHARAJ MORE THAN 100 TIMES WHICH INCREASES THE DEVOTION TO THE SUPREME LORD.

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I am very happy to give you birthday blessings today on your appearance day in this world. Your life is very special as you have come to Krishna consciousness. Even a moment of Krishna Consciousness is more valuable than anything else you can think of in this world. I pray that Lord Krishna blesses Your life to be most valuable by engaging you more and more in His service. May your life be surrendered to the instructions of Guru and Gauranga and may you reach the lotus feet of Krishna at the end of this life. I hope your day is filled with happiness and bliss in Krishna Consciousness and also throughout the year.

(This message has been dictated by HH Jayapataka Swami for you on this special day)

"Let me take the opportunity of your appearance in this world to wish you happy birthday and send you birthday blessings. We hope that this will be your last birth in your material condition and that you will achieve pure Krishna Consciousness in this lifetime. We hope that in this life you will be fully engaged in Krishna conscious activities serving Guru and Gouranga. We hope that this day will be very blissful and will be filled with thoughts of Lord Krishna. Make not only this day be auspicious, but may you advance in Krishna Consciousness during the whole year.

(This message has been dictated by HH Jayapataka Swami for you on this special day)

Dear Mataji"Happy birthday! May you always remain in Krsna consciousness and actively serve Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON. 'May their lordship Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Sri Sri Panca Tattava and Sri Nrshimadeva bless you on this day. Have a wonderful Krsna Conscious day today!"(This message has been dictated by HH Jayapataka Swami for you on this special day